And then it often leads a person down a path to where he is able to share his story in the effort to change the world around himself in a mighty way.

Chris Sandy is working to change the world by sharing his story. The story comes from a great tragedy where he drove drunk and killed two people.

Sandy shared his story during Thursday’s pre-prom message to Clarksville High School students of how a drunken driving episode changed his life.

He was joined by Eric Krug, who was severely injured while riding with a drunken driver who wrecked. He will use a wheelchair the rest of his life and is unable to speak. Krug uses adaptive devices, like computers, to communicate with others.

The pair told their emotional stories to students from Clarksville, Lamar, Johnson County Westside and Scranton high schools, the University of the Ozarks and Job Corps.

Clarksville High School Student Resource Officer Sterling Penix told The Courier the emotional enprogram was part of an annual pre-prom project the police and the school district conducts each year to teach students alcohol awareness and the dangers of drinking and driving.

When asked if this program was effective, Clarksville Police Chief Greg Donalson said it was the best he’s ever heard.

“There were students crying and it was real emotional,” he said. “These two have spoken all over the country and what they had to say was powerful.”

The chief said a number of students skipped their lunch to interact, laugh, cry and hug Sandy and Krug following the program.

The students went to the front of the auditorium and met with the speakers.

“You could see they responded to the message,” Penix said.

And Clarksville High Schools students agreed with that assessment of the message Sandy and Krug delivered about the dangers of drinking and driving.

“I think it was very good. It had an impact on me,” Clarksville sophomore Amy Crowell, 16, said. “I think it was a good life lesson. I did cry a little but my friend next to me was bawling.”

Clarksville senior Cody Hatchett, 18, said the message had a big impact on him and his friends.

“It was a great presentation. It was well worth it, even if it saves just one life,” Hatchett said. “I was tearing up, but the girl next to me was crying. I think it will make a difference.”

Clarksville sophomore Ann Pitts, 15, said the program was hard-hitting but taught an important message.

“It was upsetting, and it made me not want to even drink,” she said. “I think you’re stupid if you drink and drive.”

And those are the kind of reactions educators and police are looking for from the kids who listened to the program.

“I think this will have a big impact on the kids,” CHS family consumer science teacher Carrie Johnson said. “We’ve had several of these but this is the best one I’ve seen. I do hope it has an impact. This is one we’ll be talking about with the kids. I’ll be talking about it this afternoon in class.”

As a 22-year-old, Sandy went to a party, had four drinks, then drove drunk. His actions resulted in the death of two people.

He was charged and convicted on two counts of vehicular homicide by DUI and spent smore than eight years in prison.

It was during his incarceration that he committed to share with others his mistakes and work to get people to not drive drunk. He has shared his story with more than 130,000 young people in Georgia, and more than 250,000 across the nation.

Sandy is on parole until 2031.

Krug was a victim of an alcohol-related crash.

On his 21st birthday, he and three friends got into a car driven by a drunk driver. The driver crashed into trees, killing Krug’s best friend, and left Krug with head trauma that left him in a coma for more than a year.

Penix said the program was paid for by the Johnson County Community Fund, First Security Bank, Whitson Morgan Motors, the University of the Ozarks and the City of Clarksville.